Darkest Before Dawn
by SkyApples
Summary: Victoria Island, our home, is gone R&R please
1. Chapter 1

Specialist Jonathan Cooper: 22 years old, Sniper class, Seraph Team, Level 85

Sergeant Linda Cooper: 26 years old, Fire Poison Mage class Reaper Team, Level 87

Lance Corporal Wayne Freeman: 24 years old, Dragon Knight class Seraph Team, Level 81

Corporal Jay Johnson: 25 years old, Outlaw class Seraph Team Level 86

Staff Sergeant Anna Lindenberg: 25 years old Blade Blade Lord class Seraph Team leader Level 89

Lance Corporal Marshall Jacobson: 21 years old Hermit class Seraph Team Level 79

The Resistance has faltered, the Black Mage and his armies, the Legion have been revived at their full capacity. The main continent, Victoria Island has been conquered within the first week of his revival. The Guardians (The Maple Army) have been left in tatters by the Legion's unrelenting assault on multiple fronts. All survivors have been evacuated to the outlying islands, On Ossyria, The Job Instructors, the leaders of the Guardians have finished planning OPERATION:ACE OF SPADES, the first wave of the invasion to take back their homeland.

"Night Walker operators have reported sights of Legion battlements and fortifications all along Victoria Island," Eckhart reported pointing to the locations on a map specifically.

"We can't turn back now, months of planning gone to naught" Dance's with Balrog responded.

"We can't let the Black Mage have free reign over Victoria Island either," the Dark Lord added

"Agreed, scramble the Aeolus Transports so graciously provided to us by the Resistance, initiate Ace of Spades" Grendel the Old concluded.

I was beyond nervous, gripping my Maple Nishada until my knuckles turned white. My older sister, Linda noticed my anxiety.

"John, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just nerves"

"It's the invasion, isn't it?"

"Of course"

"Don't worry about it, you and me both have trained for months for this." she chided as she got into her transport. I went to mine, Wayne, Anna, Jay and Marshall were already there waiting for me.

"Well, well look who finally decided to man up and join us" Wayne retorted.

"What, you scared of some Legion sons a' bitches?" Marshall added.

"Hey stop bullying the poor kid, he's our newest member and we don't want him emotionally disturbed, like last time" Anna hissed and shot Wayne a lethal glare.

"Don't worry they're always this annoying" Jay informed

"I heard that" Marshall said

"'Course you did" Jay responded as he took a seat on the transport. The rest of the team and I followed suit.

The flight was uneventful until we caught sight of Victoria Island, our home, well what used to be our home. The forests were charred and the fields were replaced by soot, buildings were ruined and the beaches were black. The ocean below us boiled and stank of sulfur, and the sky was blood red.

" Move up, off the transport, go, go, go!" Anna yelled. We had caught the Legion completely by surprise, their bunkers were not manned. I caught a Legion Page square in the chest, with a gurgle he fell, dead. The other transports just touched down on the black beach. Linda's transport just touching, the beachhead was calm, and I let my guard down Linda waved to me, in mid-wave an arrow lodged itself in her stomach.

I just noticed the glimmer of the bow and fired at the bowman, dropping him without looking. Too slow, Linda fell to her knees blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, and collapsed on the black sand. Anna and the others were already further up on the beach. I started crying, Linda had been like a mother when our parents died.

"I thought you said we were gonna make it" wiping tears from my eyes

"It's okay...If I don't make it...promise me...you will...unhh" I nodded tearfully as her eyes glazed over. Jay approached me seeing Linda's body.

"Listen, kid, I feel for you and all but you wanna survive in a war zone you don't mourn, there'll be a time for that" . Jay and I ran back up to meet with the others.

"Took you long enough" Marshall said frighteningly casual as he threw two Ilbies stars into the chest of a crusader and white knight. The Legion had just deployed some advance troops and all teams were already engaging.

"You sir, must be drunk" Wayne retorted at Marshall while running a marksman through with his Omega Spear a assassin was closing in on him.

'Dragon's Roar!' he spun around and injured the assassin to the point of near death before finally running him through.

"Hey that was rude and uncalled for" Jay interrupted reloading one of his Stark Firearms R22 "Infinity" Magnums while unloading the other, killing a infighter. He was knocked off his feet as a page was ready to run him through.

"Heh, desperate times call desperate measures" he loaded a pair of Glace Capsules in one of his Infinities.

"Ice Splitter!" At the last possible second he rolled out from under the page's blade and fired twice, the page buckling and then freezing under impact.

"Stay focused!" Anna yelled, leaping into the air, drawing her Angelic Betrayals and impaling a fighter and a crusader with a crunch.

"Strafe!" I yelled as I put four arrows into a cleric's neck, no normal human being survive such a blow.

"That was a little too easy" Anna said in awe, ordering the rest of us to regroup. Our next objective was the city the Black Wing's rebuilt, Solomon.

"I beg to differ, my friend I think we've just barely scratched the surface" Wayne replied as we approached Solomon.

Specialist Jonathan Cooper: 22 years old, Sniper class, Seraph Team, Level 85 STATUS: ALIVE

Sergeant Linda Cooper: 26 years old, Fire Poison Mage class Reaper Team, Level 87 STATUS:KIA

Lance Corporal Wayne Freeman: 24 years old, Dragon Knight class Seraph Team, Level 81 STATUS: ALIVE

Corporal Jay Johnson: 25 years old, Outlaw class Seraph Team Level 86 STATUS: ALIVE

Staff Sergeant Anna Lindenberg: 25 years old Blade Blade Lord class Seraph Team leader Level 89 STATUS: ALIVE

Lance Corporal Marshall Jacobson: 21 years old Hermit class Seraph Team Level 79 STATUS: ALIVE


	2. Homecoming

Specialist Jonathan Cooper: 22 years old, Sniper class, Seraph Team, Level 85

Lance Corporal Wayne Freeman: 24 years old, Dragon Knight class Seraph Team, Level 81

Corporal Jay Johnson: 25 years old, Outlaw class Seraph Team Level 86

Staff Sergeant Anna Lindenberg: 25 years old Blade Lord class Seraph Team leader Level 90

Lance Corporal Marshall Jacobson: 21 years old Hermit class Seraph Team Level 79

Staff Sargent Andrew Ramsey: 27 years old Dark Knight class Reaper Team leader Level 126

Technical Sargent Isabel Norman: 23 years old Marksman class Reaper Team Level 121

The streets of Solomon were empty, a little eerie. Linda's team was behind us, Reaper Team, some of the best of the best.

"I hate scouting duty" I said nervously

"Yeah, I know what you mean, we might be the first to die" Wayne replied

"This is suspicious, it seems the Legion has completely pulled out their troops" Jay analyzed. My eyes were wide with anticipation. An arrow flew and lodged itself in Wayne's helmet, centimeters away from his skull.

"Son of a bitch, SNIPER!"

"GET DOWN, TAKE COVER!" Reaper Team's leader yelled, their marksman already nocked an arrow in her bow, ready to kill the sniper. I hid behind a trash can. Another arrow flew and hit the trash can, I smirked.

"Gotcha..." I let the bronze arrow fly, it found it mark between the sniper's eyes. Not even a minuet after a mass of Stone Golems and Dark Stone Golems marched towards us.

"It's a trap, they knew we'd be here the whole time!" Marshall yelled.

"They're too many of them, fall back, fall back now!". Reaper Team's leader ordered. Their marksman and I managed to kill several Golems, they seemed to never stop, for every one we killed another three took it's place.

"Seraph Team to Command, we've got a massive division of Golems advancing on us, need extraction, now!" Anna yelled into her radio. The first Golems arrived, Anna repeatedly slashed a Dark Stone Golem with lightning fast precision and speed. Jay fired off three shots all of them hitting their mark and thus killing another.

"We can't keep this up! Avenger!" Marshall yelled as hefted a massive star an threw it into a Golem. Wayne returned to his senses, he charged forward and impaled a Stone Golem and slashed a another before running back.

"Guardian's fall back now! Transports here!" I yelled as I hopped into a transport. The second one descended and Reaper Team followed suit.

"Damn, we almost got ourselves killed today didn't we" Jay commented

"At least it went better then in Kerning, that was a total bloodbath" Marshall responded. I was worn out, I fell asleep during the flight.

"Wakey wakey" Wayne retorted as he delivered a sharp kick to my shin, waking me up instantly.

"Come on, gotta get debriefed" Wayne said as led me to the War Room of the base.

"Explain to me exactly what happened" Lady Syl inquired.

"First we got ambushed by a sniper, soon after the sniper was killed, a whole division of Golems marched towards us." Andrew, a Dark Knight and Reaper Team's leader replied.

"I see we've gotten similar reports from the other scouting parties in Solomon, first an ambush and then a massive amount of aggressive monsters" Athena Pierce responded.

"Alright, you all are dismissed" Lady Syl concluded. We all shuffled out of the War Room. Marshall was already out at a weapons vendor.

"That bastard better not be doing what I think he's doing" Anna hissed. Marshall looked happier then usual almost skipping back to us.

"Hey Anna, look what I got" Marshall teased.

"What?" Anna replied with a sigh. He held out a pair of Varkits. Her eyes glimmered in desire.

"Hey Marshall, buddy, can I talk to you for a second" Anna inconspicuously asked, struggling to hide the predatory grin creeping up on her face.

"Your not getting the knives if that's what you wanted to talk about" Marshall responded. She threw one of her Angelic Betrayals narrowly missing Marshall's forehead.

"GIVE THEM TO ME NOW, YOU ASS!" Anna yelled lunging for Marshall's throat

"Well, he doesn't know what he got himself into" Jay concluded as he walked away. We all simply left the scene of carnage as Anna proceeded to beat Marshall's face for the knives. An unfamiliar marksman

walked up to me.

"So your Linda's brother?" Isabel, Reaper Teams marksman asked. I cringed at little at my sisters name.

"Too soon, huh, well I'm going to the firing range, you comin'?" She invited

"Phhft, like you need to train, your already on Reaper Team, your probably one of the best marksmans out there." She laughed.

"That's quite flattering but no, I'm probably not even close to the best" She responded, hefting her Timeless Black Beauty and left for the range. I still wanted to learn from one of the best so I dashed behind her, snatching my Maple Nishada.

"You need to learn to use your skills better, watch. Freezer!" Isabel yelled, an icy eagle appeared and attacked the dummies where ever they appeared. I watched with child like awe.

" I think you have a skill like that, I think its Golden Eagle, give it a try" She advised.

"Golden Eagle!" I yelled, a similar eagle appeared.

"Hey, you wanna go for drinks later?" I offered

"Sure, but I'm gonna lie, their drinks are pretty strong" She advised with a chuckle. This could be bad, I 'm kinda a lightweight when it comes to alcohol

A/N Yes, I am of age to drink, don't drink and drive kiddies.

"Warning, Warning, hostiles detected" The base alarm went off, something tripped the perimeter.

"Shit, the Legion's right on our doorstep" I cursed as the Legion continued their ruthless advance. We ran back to our respective teams and got outside bracing ourselves for the storm to come. It was eerily quite.

"Stand your ground, don't give an inch to them" Anna rallied, soon they were upon us, every instinct told me to run and far away, but I stood. Wayne casually continued sharpening his Omega Spear. They charged us head on.

"Dragon's Blood!" Wayne's casual slashes were amplified almost three fold, sending any Legion flying and dead, after taking ten Legion lives we was forced to get out of combat to rest. Jay took his place, one of his Infinities loaded up with Blaze Capsules and the other with Glace Capsules, hip firing all six consecutive Ice Splitter shots and scorching any Legion troops with the guts to get up close. Anna somersaulted into the horde, slashing and stabbing at least dozen Legion soldiers before being force to back flip out of the crowd to safety.

"Arrow Eruption!" I yelled the six arrows I launched into the ground erupted into six soldiers.

"Shadow Web, Shadow Partner, Lucky Seven!" Marshall called out paralyzing a squad of Legion warriors and sending stars their way, every move being repeated by the Shadow Partner.

"I really should be keeping score" I bragged as I sent another arrow through a Legion Ice Lightning Mage. I was rewarded with two Steelies to the arm. Even worse they were smeared with green stuff. I blacked out soon after.

**45 Minuets Later**

I woke up groggily in the infirmary, the two wounds were patched up. Isabel was looking over me.

"You still owe me drinks" Isabel mocked.

"Hey, I'm a cripple for now so if anyone's gonna be getting drinks its gonna be you" I retorted with a sly smile.

"Don't make me pull rank on you" She responded, my smile disappeared .

"Fine," I said defeated, hopping out of my bed.

She wasn't lying, their drinks were strong, I had a Kamikaze and vodka, and I was already drunk. She had several shots and still was unfazed, a little while longer and she was drunk as well, but not as wasted as I was. I decided to get back to my bunk, it isn't a good idea to wander around a war zone drunk. All of a sudden Isabel appeared in front of me, she pinned me against a wall, she planted her lips against mine, my eyes were wide with shock, I tried to break off but she still held tight against me. She finally broke off.

"Uh...uh I g-gotta go" I stuttered, as I headed back to my bunk.


End file.
